Black Sticks off to slow Four Nations start

The New Zealand women's hockey team is off to a slow start in their opening Four Nations match at North Harbour Hockey Stadium.

The Black Sticks have beaten India 2-1, after leading 2-nil at halftime.

Co-captain Emily Naylor says they'll have to show massive improvements before they face Australia tonight.

"We'd probably get punished if we turned it into a dribble game, we've got to move the ball on quickly because they're very fast as well and good on the counterattack so we have to step it up to match the Aussies."

Naylor says the result could have been better.

"Not what we would've liked, we would've liked to have won by a few more goals, especially after we got a goal in the first five minutes and we're putting a lot of pressure on them right from the start but then we seemed to slip and let them get into the game."

She says the team has a lot of improving to do.

"The basics a little bit off, we mistracked a lot of the balls and the last few games against Japan we've been pretty good with that, but hopefully we'll sharpen up and be better against Aussie."

Australia won their opener 4-nil against the USA.

Photo: Emily Naylor (Photosport)